Reader Redesign: Ugh to Uh.Mazing
When Alexis sent her fabulous kitchen makeover pics our way we could barely contain ourselves. Here’s her letter:
I love your blog and read it daily. My husband and I bought our house a year ago and are working our way to redoing just about every space. You guys are a huge inspiration. I wanted to share our kitchen before and after… we’re currently working on the adjoining family room where the fireplace is, but we aren’t quite there yet! Dark wood cabinets, knobs and chair rail molding really made the kitchen feel much smaller than it is. The photo I sent is not even a true “before” since we had already taken down the maroon wallpaper which made it even darker. Although we painted the cabinets, replaced the appliances, added a backsplash, and got new counters, one of my favorite parts of the makeover was really affordable. I bought those cork squares you used inside your kitchen cabinet and hot glued them to the old laminate to create a custom cork board in the desk area. Great to keep all those lists off the desk and still see my to-do’s and invites as reminders! Here’s a quick source list for your curious readers:
Paint: walls are Butter from Restoration Hardware while cabinets are semi-gloss White by Benjamin Moore, hardware: the knobs and pulls are also from RH (I was working there at the time and got a sweet discount!), flooring: we replaced all the various flooring on the first floor (carpet, vinyl, oak) with vertical bamboo, appliances: new stainless steel appliances by Kenmore, countertops: Silestone from Home Depot and butcher block on the island, backsplash: cheap white subway tiles over counters, pendant: West Elm (we cut the cord to hard-wire it).
Hope you enjoy the transformation at least a 1/4 as much as I enjoy your site. -Alexis
Enjoy it? We live for it! Here’s the ugh-inducing before:
And here’s the ooh la la after:
Is that not appetizing and amazing? Great job Alexis! We love your light and modern kitchen transformation (especially that crafty pinboard project and the lovely lamp over the dining table). What about you guys? Let’s play a little game I like to call Pick Your Favorite Part.
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Love the make over. You are right, Sherry…it is Uh.Mazing.
I love the desk area.
I like how you moved the stove… One question though… where is the fridge?
Great job, Alexis!
Um, yep, I’m with Jaime…where’s the fridge? I see where I think it’s supposed to go……
Oh, I do love this transformation! I love best, the desk area and the glass front cabinets! LOVE this!
Suzanne
GREAT job!
I love that it looks brand new but wasnt a gut job! The cabinets are shocking. Im wondering where they put the fridge? It looks like the work triangle was compromised for good design(not that I’d blame them)- Being the cook of the house I noticed that right away.
I love it all, especially the butter yellow walls. Great job!
I can’t believe those cabinets are painted! It looks like a whole new kitchen- I especially love the cork board too!
Love the make over! The floors are great!!! Can you tell me where you got your table and chairs?? They are fabulous!
My favorite part is that their cabinets were already so great to start with – they just needed a coat of white paint! How lucky! I also love the West Elm pendant – gorgeous!
I love this transformation!! And that light fixture above the table is fabulous!!
I love that she didn’t gut it or change the layout much but painted what she had because sometimes, we just can’t afford to get new cabinets and undergo those huge makeovers that some people do (cough, johnsherry, cough). So thanks for the inspiration on a budget and its LOVELY too.
And I love the desk area too. Looks neat but efficient.
Wonderful job! I also love the desk area and the light fixture is a beauty. Uh…Mazing!
Lisa
Wow—it looks so different it’s hard to believe it’s the same room, let alone the same cabinets!
I guess they wouldn’t have left this detail out, but my favourite parts are the glass front cabinets with the interiors painted as well. It just makes SUCH a difference!
Seriously great job!
I love the cabinets with glass doors – always wanted some of those! And you didn’t even have to buy new ones! They look great! My husband primed our kitchen yesterday and I will be painting it today, so we’ll get our own mini-makeover! Yeah!
Gotta love how much of a difference painted cabinets can make (and much easier on the wallet!). I am not a home owner yet, but each time I see these Reader Redesigns I get more and more excited about when my time comes. Congrats on the redo Alexis!
You know, I don’t think I can pick just one area. I was like, “O no! Those cabinets are great, especailly the ones with the glass in them!” But you made them a million times better! I am glad you kept them. LOVE the desk area also! You did great!
I have to say the cabinets are probably my favorite as well. I wonder if she has considered taking down those cabinets over the bar area that divide the kitchen from the living room area?
Wow, that kitchen turned out beautifully! I am planning a little kitchen re-do soon myself. I hope I have a good result!
LOVE THAT!!!!!! Every Picture I see of white painted kitchens makes me one step closer to just painting mine!!!! love it! and that desk area is sooo great!
I LOVE the transformation! It’s so light and cheery. My favorite part is the little desk area – I think it’s a great space in a kitchen for reading through recipes or cookbooks, going through mail, or making grocery lists. Fantastic job Alexis!
Love it. It’s unbelievable what some white painted cabinets can do to a remodel. It looks lovely. The countertops are so nice. I would suggest they paint that fireplace white, just like you two did to yours.
Love it all, especially the table and chairs. Where are they from?
Absolutley love the cabinets and countertops
Wow I love this. I am considering painting our kitchen cabinets I am curious did they spray them or roll them? I have read it different ways. The only reason I have started painting them yet is I am scared to ruin perfectly good cabinets they are only 9 years old. I think it would really brighten up my kitchen. I also love the wall paint color on this. Thanks for sharing
Two things…
1) that they moved the oven and stovetop so they could truly use the island as another countertop.
2) that they were not afriad of the vertical paneling in the cabinets…loved them in white!
White paint on cabinets never ceases to amaze me. :) Looks great!
The whole transformation is great, but the desk area is a dream! So organized, light and airy. I’d love to sit and peruse through cookbooks at that little desk. Shoot, paying bills might even be fun.
I love how bright and open the space looks night with the white cabinets. I also love the countertops. I’m also curious – where’ the fridge?
Wow…what a difference! That looks like my dream kitchen. Was wondering what color Silestone that is, as we are thinking of putting in Silestone in our kitchen. We already had the white cabinets, and I love the look of this kitchen.
Awesome job! Might have to steal that corkboard idea as well.
I love it too, but am also wondering where the fridge is/goes?
Hey guys,
We just shot Alexis an email so hopefully she’ll drop in to answer all of your questions. As for where the fridge is, Alexis doesn’t have one. Just kidding, she mentioned that she “relocated it to a nook that’s not pictured” so we know it’s tucked away somewhere. Maybe she’ll elaborate when she drops in. So glad you guys are enjoying her fabulous kitchen makeover as much as we are!
xoxo,
Sherry
I love the glass cabinets and the pendent over the table! Great job!!
Beautiful transformation. I love all of it. I can’t believe it’s the same space! :)
Wow…I absolutely loved this kitchen. We just bought our first house and I would like to paint the kitchen cabinets. Thank you for being such an inspiration! Do you guys mind to share the details about this project?
spray them or roll them?
What kind of primer?
Paint color?
Hardware?
Congratulations for the amazing job.
Thank you!
Please tell me where you bought your table and chairs – I love the set and it would be perfect for my kitchen!
wow stunning! I love the pendant light and the bamboo floors the most but really, it is so lovely as a whole!
Thank you! So exciting to see my kitchen featured! Happy to answer questions:
You mean I forgot the fridge?!?!
Actually, the fridge is recessed into a wall that backs the garage. A wall oven used to live there – in the wall behind where you see the cookie jar and wine bottle. If you look straight at the stove it is to the right. The work triangle is somewhat intact; since if you open the fridge the island is right behind you.
We hired someone to spray the cabinets, mostly because I was afraid of spraying myself (so messy!). The hardware and paint is Restoration Hardware. Paint color is Butter.
Thank you, thank you!
love the desk area with cork board backsplash! what a great idea.
Nancy: Table and Chairs are old Crate and Barrel outdoor furniture (very heavy rod iron).
Kristin: Sorry I can’t remember the silestone color – but we got it from Home Depot and had them install. It was the only gray near this color – so hope that helps!
Brandi: Fireplace soon to be white – we’re one room at a time kinda folks. I agree it will make a HUGE difference.
“My favorite part” was that she was able to transform the floor and the cabinets without trashing the cabinets and getting new ones. I know I’d love to change my kitchen, but the cost of new (and likely custom required because of odd kitchen dimensions) cabinetry has kept me away. She’s making me think that it’s possible again!
I’m going to go with the glass-paned cabbys! And the floor – I despise tile flooring (unless it’s hex / penny / herringbone, etc). And lastly, removing the stovetop from the island; there was an accident just waiting to happen in that position.
FANTASTIC make-over!! I agree with Sara, removing the upper cabinets that separate the kitchen and the family room would totally open up and modernize the space! You could then add some cool pendant fixtures. The day we closed on our house we got out the tools and removed the uppers we had and what a difference. Of course cutting down on cabinet storage is an issue. Great job!
I’m surprised more people didn’t comment on the flooring. It’s gorgeous!
I love that desk area. I also love the hardware you chose.
Love the clock leaning on the desk area. I did that with my clock in my kitchen and its a fun way to place it rather than hanging it on a big open wall where it would look dinky. And LOVE the West Elm pendant for that spot!!
I love that the project packs such a huge punch without ripping out everything. When kitchens or baths are completely gutted in an old house, I almost feel like it’s cheating. I love to see people work with what they have…now, that’s uh-mazing!
Love the work!
Brilliant! I love the neat clean look!
It looks Fantastic! May i use the images in my next blog newsletter if i add a link to your site?
~Kelly
Hey Kelly,
Sure thing! As long as there’s a link back we’re happy campers. Thanks so much!
xo,
s